This study was undertaken to investigate the efficacy of prehydration with crystalloids or colloids for preventing spinal anaesthesia-induced hypotension in elderly normotensive and hypertensive patients. Eighty physical status ASA I-III elderly patients were enrolled in this study, receiving spinal anesthesia.

Atropine has been used in the past as a premedication drug to decrease the sialorrhea of the second stage of anaesthesia and prevent bradycardia caused by the administration of succinylcholine, opiods or volatile anaesthetics. The purpose of this study is the investigation of the haemodynamic fluctuations during induction of anaesthesia and intubation of the trachea, in children and adults either premedicated or not with atropine.